


Entwined Intervals

by alumort



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Hyuuga Hizashi is a Good Parent, M/M, Panic Attacks, Slow To Update, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26004751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alumort/pseuds/alumort
Summary: (SLOW UPDATES)Neji Hyuga dies, and the after life is not like he expected.He had peace, yes. He was with his father, yes. But waking up as a toddler again, reliving everything, wasn't what he expected.Was it an illusion of his dying brain, or a weirdly activated Jutsu?He didn't know. But if he had the chance... he would make things better for his loved ones.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Rock Lee, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> background ships that will appear in the future:  
> canon: kakagai  
> onesided: hinaten

He felt himself being carried away, felt a strange breeze on his body. All his eyes could see were mere blurs, no solid shapes. His hair was heavily stuck to his head. He couldn't move it away; his hands refused to listen.

All his senses caught on was coldness, the arms holding him being forgotten by his subconscious. A voice was calling his name, with raw pain in every letter pronounced.

What happened was not a mystery. He ended up fulfilling his fate as a _Side Branch member,_ dying for one of the heiresses... but well. He couldn't change it now, could he?

Now, Neji just waited for the light that some say appeared in death. His chest lowered one last time before he allowed death to take him in a long, deep sleep.

~

The light invaded his gaze as if it was sunlight, as if he was resting peacefully just to feel that in his skin. There was coldness, but not an _uncomfortable_ coldness; more like a Winter breeze entering through a window.

"Good morning", the brunet heard someone say, a voice that was familiar for his ears but... unheard? Was it possible? 

Neji opened his eyes, intrigued by what he heard. At first, he thought it was his uncle, but - his uncle did not have gentle eyes. His uncle never woke him up; he barely greeted him inside of the Compound.

Possibilities were low, but… he was already in the hands of death. If it wasn't Hiashi, only one person in the whole universe could have that voice.

"Dad?", the younger Hyuga mumbled, looking at the man with caution, ignoring how high-pitched his words sounded. He saw his patient, tired smile- one that only he could do, the one that hid his worries for an innocent child. "It is... you..."

"Yes, my dear son. It's me", Hizashi replied, petting the top of Neji's head while laughing softly at his odd words. The older Jonin didn't expect the surprise hug from his son- his arms were too short to wrap him completely, yet the small brunet hugged him as tightly as possible. With desperation, like he was going to fade away in any second.

"Dad, you- you are _alive_."

Hizashi looked at him, slightly confused by his words. He was too young to know what death was, yet... Neji was smart. If he knew he was a boy since being able to talk( _or before_ ), he definitely picked up more terms from some book.

The man decided not to question his child, simply returning the embrace.

"We're both alive, Neji", he exclaimed, smiling at the child, who had tears on the edge of his eyes. His smile became smaller as he cleaned his son's tears. "Did you had a bad dream?"

"I... I must be in the afterlife", Neji continued, sobbing. The kid refused to let go from his father, who tried to comfort his crying with gentle caresses on his hair. 

Hizashi was once again confused by his son's words. He noticed he was talking with different ones than usual; plus, his voice sounded full of relief and joy, in a new way. Not like when he found a lost toy, just- instinct told the man that something odd was happening that morning.

"I don't know what you're talking about, son. We're both alive". He decided to let Neji talk at his own pace, not forcing him to explain how he was acting. The Jonin then smiled at him again, after noticing his tears had stopped. "We also have breakfast to eat."

"This is so weird...", Neji mumbled, separating from his father. He saw a pile of small, neatly folded clothes on the border of his bed, and grabbed them to change himself in the bathroom.

Whatever had happened once the spikes hit his body was _strange_ , to say the least. The small brunet still couldn't believe he had been sent to the past, as... well. One replays their whole life once they die. But he shouldn't be able to remember he _actually died._

Was this a chance to change things around? Were the spirits, as Tenten used to say, that merciful? If that was the case, maybe... maybe he could save his father. The date of his death had been carved into his memory, he just... had to plan something out. Maybe this was an illusion from the death veil, of his dying brain, but he had some hope. He wasn't going to give it up away that easily.

What, exactly, was in need of change was unsure as of now. The curse mark wasn't in his skin yet- Hinata wasn't three years old, then. But the snow outside told him that her birthday was around the corner and, with that rush in mind, Neji started to strategize how to save his dad as he brushed his hair.

~

_'How does a child act?'_ , was the only question on the young Hyuga's mind, as he sat with his father to look at the snow fall. He didn't know what to say. What to do, apart from sitting silently on the floor, watching the snowdrops dance with the breeze.

Neji crossed his legs, frowning slightly. He had already screwed it with his intense emotions- Hizashi probably suspected something, but was too nice to ask. He always waited for him to reach out first, and that was something he appreciated. Maybe his dad was doing it again. Waiting for him to speak up, explain everything- his calm gaze fell on him, and Neji gulped.

"What's in your mind, son?",the Jonin asked, smiling softly. He always tried to use masculine words when referring to Neji, and the boy felt joyful every single time. "It's the first time you see snow. I thought you would be more... excited."

"Ah, I... I _am!"_ , Neji replied, getting up. "It's just, it's cold. I do not wish to fall ill for touching it. That's all, dad."

Hizashi stared at his child, noticing how tense his body was. That was the weirdest thing that happened that morning, apart from the strange words- he never saw his son like this.

He always felt joyful and calm, not... _tense_. It was something that would probably fade away once they put the curse seal on him and so, Hizashi never had the heart to not allow him to enjoy his temporal peace- it was too cruel, but he sometimes saw the other Side Branch members not allow their children to be themselves at an earlier age( _or, ever_ ).

The Clan as a whole was cruel, sometimes, but there was nothing he could do to change it.

"Neji, you don't need to lie to me", the man whispered, sighing. "You're my son. I won't get angry at anything you tell me, okay?"

This seemed to get Neji's attention. He looked at his feet, pouting, and sat again. His hands played with the strands of his own hair, remaining silent for a while... until he inhaled deeply and looked at Hizashi again, his gaze serious as it never had been before. All that morning had been weird, and the Jonin was getting worried his child had fallen ill with something strange.

"... I _died_ , dad. In a war", Neji admitted, his voice low as to not alert anyone that may be listening without invitation. "This is an afterlife of sorts, I assume. I don't really know what's going on."

"That's...", Hizashi mumbled, not knowing what to say about the new information. He knew his kid wasn't lying, but... no. They were _never_ outside the chances of a new war, just- Neji was just _four_. Had Konoha sent him to die being this young? He would never forgive Hiruzen if that happened.

"I was a Jonin. My teacher was Maito Gai", the younger Hyuga continued, trying to make his point. Giving more details so his father would trust what he was confessing, so he didn't think it was a project of a vivid imagination. "I know who the Jinchuriki is. And I know I'll be marked with the Cursed Seal, and how much it hurts when activated."

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji and Hizashi have a long talk. Then, Neji spends time with his cousin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: panic attack  
> it's more... implied, but that's what it is. near the end.
> 
> i was going to update in the end of the month but i finished the fourth chapter... this kinda forces me to write more so yay, have update

Hizashi and Neji were back to their house in the Compound, drinking tea to contrast the coldness of the snow. The atmosphere was... awkward, for both. They were discussing about what the small brunet told his dad earlier that day, before the man had to leave for a short mission.

"So you... come from the future."

"I know it sounds unbelievable, but yes. I returned... fourteen years, to the past", Neji commented, playing with his hair. "I assume it's because this is the happiest period of my life, and my subconscious chose it for this retelling of my mind."

The Jonin looked at the beverage on his hands, concentrated in analysing this revelation. He had suspected something odd was happening once his son used different words than usual- but he didn't suspect it was something this odd. 

Yet, judging by the information given and the serious face of the kid, he had no option than to believe. Maybe he got himself into a new jutsu, or... whatever. Hizashi trusted on his child as much as he trusted him, to share something so important with him.

"I don't know why or how you have come to this time, but you're still my dear son", the older Hyuga exclaimed, a soft smile decorating his face. "Just, stop saying you're dead, okay? You are alive and well, and I'll try to help you in case you need to move stuff around."

"Countless of spikes crossed my stomach, dad. There's no way I survived that", Neji argued, looking at a side. "The pain may have soothed, but it has been there. I don't know why I know I died, though. I thought I wasn't supposed to."

Hizashi sighed, feeling like it would take a long time to change those thoughts from the younger mind. He decided to put his attempts at a pause, at least for that day.

"Maybe your subconscious wants to change something, and is letting you do so", he offered, hearing how his son shifted nervously on his place. "Is there anything you want to change from the past? That may help."

Neji just stared at his dad, suppressing his emotion like he normally did. He couldn't just tell Hizashi he was going to die- being told that was horrible, and telling it to his own father... it was going to be the worst. The boy didn't even know what words to use.

"...I will take care of that alone, dad. Something can change unexpectedly if I tell you", he tried after a moment, sighing. "I have to plan what should be changed. What can go better."

"I understand. If you need my help, just ask, okay?", Hizashi agreed, nodding. "No need to explain anything. I trust in you, son."

The younger Hyuga felt his eyes itch, his lips trembling softly. His father had believed him that easilg, supported him... he had forgotten how nice he actually was, in the fourteen years he spent without him. Neji wanted to hug him, make sure he wasn't going to disappear—but those were childish thoughts. It was because of the afterlife illusion, his smaller body was probably starting to affect how his mind worked.

The boy stayed where he was, inhaling deeply and with a smile on his face, playing with his hair again.

"Can I get some paper and a pencil?"

~

He had... Gathered, some stuff to change by the end of the day. A messy list written in purple crayon, but it was better than having to memorize every single thing. Afraid of the curiosity such event as time travelling can generate, he was rather vague on his words.

 _'A death', 'team', 'friends_ ' were the things on the list. He marked the date on a border of the paper sheet, noticing with a pang of pain that the... event, would happen once the season changed. Kumogakure didn't like travelling through snow, and they acted loyal to those thoughts even if their intentions weren't as loyal the day they killed his father.

Neji felt his chest ache with thinking of the memories. How the warmth would soon be away—no. He wasn't going to let that happen. He was going to save Hizashi no matter what.

Even if he had to sneak into the main branch to meet his cousin... his brain didn't register if they had interacted before he was marked, but. _But_.

"I'll go to the mission now, son. Hiashi said you could go with him until I return."

... it was easy to forget that his uncle was as nice as the Branch system allowed him to be, before the betrayal of the newly allied village. Hiashi sometimes acted like he cared for him—when he was severely injured or almost dead, but hey. Could be worse.

Acting joyful and goofy with his uncle would be almost as hard as acting like a child. He planned in silence what he was going to say while holding his father's hand, letting himself be guided to the residence of his cousin.

They didn't talk on the path. Neither of them knew what to say to the other, both deep in thought on the short travel _(it seemed longer with shorter legs, or that's how it seemed to Neji)._

"Be careful", Neji told his dad once they were outside of the destination. Hizashi smiled at him, petting the top of his head.

"I will be, don't worry."

The door opened and then, the young Hyuga was left with his uncle and cousin— his aunt was not there. Maybe she had a doctor appointment; Hanabi was born in March of the following year after all, and they were in December. 

... he couldn't stop thinking that the day he was going to be marked was coming closer, with each passing second it was a second closer for the seal to be on his skin again. It was something that he couldn't change no matter what, yet his heart desired to do something about it— he forbid himself of obeying it, at least for now, and went to play with Hinata in her room.

She was still the same shy girl she always had been, but she at least didn't hide behind the cabinet at seeing him for one of the first times. Neji waved at her, sitting in the bed that he would use for that night.

"Hello", the small brunet said, smiling softly- something so simple yet so hard, at the moment. His mind was still with the horrid feeling of blood on his skin, but he had needed to learn how to keep a neutral face to survive in the Clan.

"H—hi", Hinata mumbled, playing with her hair. She had a small toy on her hands, thing that was held closer to her chest once she saw him. "It's nice to s—see you, Neji..."

"It's nice to see you too, Lady Hinata."

The girl looked at him with a confused expressions on her face, tilting her head to the side. Neji felt like he did something bad— _oh_.

He was too young on that time. He still wasn't forced to call his cousins by a title, instead of their name alone. That's why she was so confused.

He wanted to slap himself in the face for that mistake, like whenever he did or said something that made Lee dismiss his happy grins... the memory of him smiling at his side filled his heart with a nostalgia that couldn't be hidden well, so he simply looked to his pillow and sighed.

' _Lee... where are you now? Are you still alive?'_

Neji started to think of his boyfriend more after that, trying to stop to get some sleep. But... he was the one carrying his dead body. The brunet remembered the shape of his arms— they had hugged and cuddled a million of times, how could he not?—, he must've been destroyed.

If only there was a way to tell him he was okay. But this was the first time Neji heard of time travelling, there was no way of contacting the future... 

Maybe he could start talking with him earlier on. Lee didn't came out of his house much until they started the Academy, so he would have to wait.

This time, he was going to not be an asshole — that was the only way to describe himself on his Genin years. He was going to help Hinata be stronger, he was going to help Tenten not feel useless in the team, he— he should upgrade the ' _to-do_ ' list.

"Neji? Are—are you okay?"

He almost forgets that he's in a sleepover. Hinata had a worried look on her face, her hands on his shoulders- how long had he zoomed out?

"Yeah. It's just... I had a nightmare today", the brunet lied, staring at the ground. "Please don't laugh..."

"It's okay, I won't. Y—you weren't answering, that's why I called you...", Hinata mumbled, playing with her fingers. "I was asking if you wanted t—to draw..."

"I would love to, Hinata."

~

Apparently, he had spent more time with his cousin that he remembered during his younger years. That was why she called him big brother, probably. It was something that his mind had passed until it happened again, when they were playing with the snow with his aunt checking over them.

... he didn't know how to feel about his aunt. She had died when Hanabi was born, but that wasn't something that could be changed— Tsunade wasn't in the village yet. He felt a pang of guilt because of that, even if he knew he could do absolutely nothing.

' _I can't solve everything, can I?_ ', Neji thought the night before Hinata's birthday, covered in his blankets. ' _I'm dead anyways. Why do I even **bother**.'_

The boy couldn't reply his own question. His body was tense, anticipating what would happen the next day, and his thoughts were quickly directed towards that. He couldn't eat much that night.

And his father knew. He had asked him if he wanted something, unsure of what to do as he was, technically, an adult in the body of a toddler. Hizashi had offered tea and cookies— the best he could give at eleven of the night —, but Neji still wasn't hungry.

~

Anticipation was what woke him up the next morning, with eyes wide and lack of breath. He fell from his bed, the pain being what allowed air to get to his lungs once again.

"Neji!", his dad called, not expecting that reaction from him. He ran to grab him as soon as he could, holding him in his arms as he sat down on the bed. "Son, are you okay? What happened?"

"I don't— I don't know."

The younger Hyuga still didn't recover fully from not being able to breathe, shock showing on his eyes. He hugged his dad, something solid, almost feeling invisible spikes stabbing his body again—

But they were not. He was already dead, thanks to them, reunited with his father in the afterlife.

"I wish we could cancel this", Hizashi mumbled, holding his shaking son close to his chest. "That you... didn't had to be marked."

"Dad, it's... okay. They're going to harm you if we don't go", Neji said, inhaling deeply. "Let's just get this over..."

There was fear on his words, yet he walked to the reunion place with his head up. Softening his gaze as much as he could, not looking at his uncle at all as his big hand rested on his forehead.

Then there was the pain, and his screaming—had it been this hurtful the first time? Or was the act of having to repeat it, painful enough?

Neji didn't know, as he had passed away on the ground.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do i love making characters having existencial crisis? yes


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji wakes up in the hospital.  
> Then there's a timeskip, to the day that he wants to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have one chapter more and wanted to update once the 5th got finished, but inspiration is a mess and I *just* started it lolol  
> this chapter is one of my favorites :3

Once he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a cold place. His head stung, his vision was dizzy—it took some seconds longer than expected to be able to focus his gaze on the white wall, on the window at his right.

He recognized the park that was near Konoha's hospital, with the stray evergreens that stand tall in there. Covered with snow, it seemed abandoned by the village, desolated as if it had been destroyed again—

But it was not. The soft snores of his father, who was sleeping in a chair at his other side, returned himself to the present ( _Should he say 'past', if he was reliving it?_ ).

Hizashi had watched over him as he slept, and they were in the hospital... what had happened? 

"... dad?", Neji asked in a whisper, disliking how high-pitched his voice was. Being a toddler was so annoying, he felt so... wrong.

His father stirred up even if his tone was soft, ears trained to hear everything. He looked worried but once he saw his son, a tired smile decorated his face. Then he sighed, placing a hand on the younger Hyuga's head, careful to not make him feel pain.

"Neji, you're awake. Are you feeling better, son?", the man wondered, a slight frown appearing in his face. "You passed out, after they...", he trailed off, sighing again. "Had that happened the last time?"

"I don't think so", the brunet replied, leaning to the touch without even noticing it. That was something that Hizashi noticed; he was more affective than... before the time travelling, if it could be written that way. He also hugged him a lot.

"Hm... the doctor said you are okay. Maybe it was the stress?", the Jonin offered, frowning. His voice had been low, in case anyone was spying nearby. "You weren't feeling well before. It may be connected."

"I don't really know."

Neji remained silent after that, closing his eyes again. He breathed deeply, with a neutral expression taking over his calm one from before.

What had his son gone through? Seeing how he could just... put a mask on, that easily and at such age, was both strange and worrying. The Hyuga Clan did that a lot, yes, but seeing it in a _toddler_...

Hizashi didn't want his child to suffer more than he already did, in the future. He knew asking was going to cause even _more_ pain, so the man just kept quiet with his son in his arms, resting until one of the doctors said it was okay for Neji to return to the Compound.

~

It was almost _that_ day. Shortly after Hanabi was born, after his aunt had died and everyone was still in a vigil for her, his father— _no_. It wouldn't happen again.

Hinata trained with him often, and the brunet made sure to make her stronger. Their bodies were too young to follow Gai's training ways, but he had adapted it for both. She was joyful with that, finding on him her first friend... Neji realized it was true, at least until they enrolled in the academy. Until she got her team.

She had always been trying to be friendly with him, and he had pushed her away for years— he didn't want to repeat that. The pain, the loneliness... _for both_. It was something he still could change.

He had only hours for the plan, as it was the afternoon and Hanabi had been born at night— he just had to ask for Hinata to spend the night with him, coloring stuff around in his room. 

Seeing his father and uncle talking about something was the perfect opportunity for it. Neji ran towards his dad, hugging him as he always did, with his little smile becoming smaller once he ' _realized_ ' Hiashi was there.

He pouted, and both men laughed... the brunet felt _actually_ embarrassed by that, but decided to not say anything.

"Can Hinata and I have a sleepover tonight?", the boy asked, clinging to his father's robes. "I have a new coloring book she has to see."

"Hmm...". Hiashi closed his eyes, acting as if he had to think it for long.

Neji felt like frowning, but he put his best puppy eyes once his uncle looked at him again— the man still wasn't as cold as he remembered. He was surprisingly... _fine_.

But he still didn't trust him, no matter how warm his smiles may seem. He probably wasn't going to trust him _ever_ , but Neji still had to act like a small child.

"I think I will allow it", the clan head said, nodding. "Just don't let them stay up too late, okay?"

"I won't", Hizashi promised to his brother, carrying his son on his arms as they got up. Neji didn't had to force himself to giggle, being genuinely content with the affection.

The small brunet noticed that the siblings had started to whisper something. He tried to focus on what they said, while not being that obvious— the only information he got was that his aunt was going to see a doctor.

She was going to die that night, when Hanabi was born. Kumogakure somehow _knew_ and that's why they had sent someone to kidnap— _no_. That was _before_ , not now. Both Branches of the Clan were like labyrinths if you have never been inside before. There was no way that... that _horrible_ person was going to find Hinata.

And so, a sleepover was planned. Hizashi noticed he had something in mind, yet didn't question his time traveller son—a thing that Neji was grateful of.

~

When the night came, Hinata was already coloring with Neji in his room. Her parents were in the hospital, and she was still terribly shy— she focused on the coloring pages on purpose, sticking out her tongue in concentration.

Hizashi checked on them every hour or so, leaving a plastic water bottle for each in one of the last times he entered. He only entered again to tuck them in bed, wishing them a good night with one of his usual soft smiles.

Neji wasn't able to close his eyes, his anticipation of what would happen not allowing his body to relax. He was tense and staring at the roof, in a quiet vigil for his cousin.

Maybe he should have told his father what would happen. Or maybe he already figured out, he was smart after all. The brunet started to think in silence, of what was going to happen, a fear of the man finding out that Hinata was with them and not alone in her house—

"Big b—brother, are you awake?"

Maybe the man was going to find her. But Neji had been training with her, teaching her stuff that neither were supposed to learn until they were both Genin with a squad. And his father was there— he would come in if either child started screaming.

"I am."

"I can't s—sleep...", Hinata mumbled, getting up to see him better. A small reassurance that she was not alone, Neji figured out. "I tried, but I just can't..."

"Do you want me to read you something? Maybe that can help", he offered, blinking slowly. The insomnia was staring to make his eyes sticky. He got up to grab a fantasty-themed book ( _maybe they were childish, but they were fun_ ).

"Can—can you _really_ read, big brother?", the blue haired girl wondered, seeing how her cousin grabbed the book in such a casual way that she did not expect.

"Yeah. This one is about a coffee shop in a magic forest... I like it, and the drawings are cool", he answered, smiling at Hinata. She smiled back. "Do you want me to read it to you?"

"Please", Hinata replied, getting comfortable under her blankets again, listening in silence as her big brother read the tale. Her eyes closed pretty quickly, with snores replacing their voices in a couple of minutes.

That night, Neji finally managed to rest well—and no stranger broke into his home.

... however, once the guards found the man, Kumogakure did not have any excuse. They could not use their Head Ninja's death as one—as he had not died, as he was just restrained by the guards because he searched way too loudly for Hinata inside her house.

When morning came, Neji hugged his father once he went to wake them up. Hizashi laughed in surprise, returning the hug with a smile.

"I didn't thought you would be so happy to get up early", the Jonin said jokingly, petting his hair with gentleness. "Did you had a nightmare, son?"

"I just wanted to hug you", Neji replied, closing his eyes. He could feel tears forming on them, so he prevented them to come out in that way. "I'm okay."

They accompanied Hinata during breakfast, where the news of her mother's loss were spread quickly. The brunet did not know how to feel regarding his aunt— he didn't even _remember_ having an aunt, but his cousin was confused as to why she wouldn't come back.

... it was the only time he saw Hiashi hugging his daughter. But he wasn't going to interrupt, instead acting as if he didn't know what was happening while sitting with his dad.

"... There is a good weather today", his father had commented after they had eaten, after they were given the news of the failed kidnapper. "Are you in the mood to go for a walk?"

Neji suspected he knew, or _supposed_ , what was originally going to happen that night. And he would answer him, now that he was sure he alive and as safe as a Jonin could be.

He grabbed his hand and nodded, travelling through the paths of the village while talking with Hizashi. He told him about, well, his cancelled death—and the man said he knew it from day one.

"You were surprised that I was living", his dad explained with a low voice, ordering a dango for both in one of the shops. "And you think you're... dead. It wasn't hard to figure out, but I didn't want to pressure you to talk."

"It doesn't matter now. You are okay", Neji said, grinning at him. He extended his arms towards the man, who accepted the offered hug.

"Mm. Thank you for that, son", Hizashi added, smiling softly at him. Then he winked, before talking again. "You can have a whole dango for yourself, as a treat."

"No need", the boy mumbled, giggling softly. His father entered to the shop again to get the dango.

Looking by mere curiousity, two faces from near the food stands were familiar to him, even if he had never talked personally with them. One with scars and the other without them—the Nara and Yamanaka Clan Heads were smiling at him, their faces relaxed as their gazes met for a moment, before Neji looked at his dad.

' _They know me?_ ', the boy thought, grabbing the offered dango with carefulness. ' _I don't remember having talked to them at this age...'_

It was something odd, but well. Maybe they were Hizashi's teammates once or twice, and that was why they would know him. Those were theories that he didn't got time to ask as he grabbed his father's hand, glad that its warmth was able to be kept that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me ur thoughts, opinions, suggestions, etc i love reading what you guys think ^_^


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji starts school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 am! perfect time to update!!!  
> i figured out how to continue the 5th chapter, thank raspberryfanfics bc it got me so stuck i considering abandoning this RIP  
> anyways, enjoy. it has 2 drawings too- they have image description, i hope i did that well!  
> i liked writing this chapter.

It was too early in the morning, but it was never as early as when he trained with his team. He just had adapted to the life of resting all day... Now, he was in the academy, holding his father's hand in the middle of the crowd of kids and parents.

He felt strange. The first time, he had arrived alone, stayed alone during all the years he studied there- now, having someone with him, was... weird, to put it short. Good, but strange nonetheless. His nervousness didn't let him recognize anyone in the entrance- not that many kids from his year had become ninjas, but maybe... maybe he would see Tenten, or Lee.

"I'm going to meet my teammates today", the brunet mumbled to his father, squeezing his hand. "I think. I don't remember seeing them in the academy at all."

"Are you nervous?", Hizashi asked him, and he noticed it was almost time to enter.

"Kinda. I was very mean back then- I don't really know what will happen if I am not", Neji admitted, sighing softly. His dad smiled at him and petted his hair, nodding.

"Maybe you'll be friends now", he exclaimed, not truly knowing much about the future and who he would meet ( _ Neji preferred it that way, in case something changed too drastically for him to predict what would happen next _ ). "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Then the kid had to go to his class, a frown in his face as he thought and walked more as a memory than as following who would be his teacher.

~

Almost every front seat was occupied, by faces that the brunet had long forgotten. From children that had either dropped from the Academy, or not passed. But he wasn't searching for someone unknown. He wasn't going to see any of those kids ever again, so he wouldn't bother- maybe it was cruel, but it was better that way.

And then, from the crowd of people he would soon forget, one single face was known. Neji would recognize him everywhere- from his eyebrows to his dark green eyes, to his round face and black hair. His smile when he sat at his side was so bright… he had forgotten what a piece of the sun Lee was. Always had been, with everyone.

Neji could proudly say that he had got even  _ brighter _ smiles, only for himself. But now it was not the case- he was not his Lee, he was still a child and they did not know each other yet. The countless times they had held each other close had been erased by his death. They may need to be rewritten, but Neji was not going to flirt with a kid. 

While he technically was a child, it was not okay. That kind of stuff never was.

"Hello!", Lee said with a smile, waving his little hand. The Hyuga had forgotten when he had got a book in front of him, but he smiled back and left it to the side.

"Hello there", Neji replied, looking at the black haired boy at the eyes now. His hair was long, in a braid- he looked adorable.

Lee gasped once he looked at him, surely never having seen another person of his Clan. He had a civilian mother, based in the few scraps of dialogue that he had shared on a rant one night.

"Oh no! Are you okay? Your eyes...", Lee mumbled, getting closer to him. That was the second time in a while that Neji didn't have to fake his laugh.

"Yeah, it's just my Byakugan eyes", he replied, nodding. At seeing the confusion on the younger boy's face, he coughed softly before rephrasing that. "Hyuga eyes. I'm a Hyuga, after all."

"Oh...! I'm a Lee!", the black haired exclaimed, taking his pencil case out. "Well- not from a  _ Clan _ . My name is Rock Lee, but I don't like it much. Call me Lee!"

"I'm Neji Hyuga. And that's fine, I'll call you Lee then."

Lee grinned at this, satisfied with the reply. He started to ramble about trivial stuff, and the brunet felt a pang in his chest- it was awfully familiar, something awfully casual from when he was not in the past. It was extremely hard to not lean in, but he kept his composure and talked with him.

... he missed when they laid under the sun, with Lee's bandaged hands trailing his hair with gentleness and love. When he rested and heard his heart beats, more than once falling asleep on top of him. But those times were gone. And Neji knew it- even if he wanted to, he would not flirt with Lee until they were both sixteen, same age as when they started to date. His boyfriend had done the first move, and so, Neji would follow if Lee did the same this time.

_ 'That was before, there's no guarantee we'll date again _ ', the boy thought, growing silent as the teacher made the kids present themselves. He looked at the front, a tiny pout on his mouth. ' _... I wonder how  _ my _ Lee is doing. Are you safe from the war, my dear?' _

Neji's presentation turn was faster than expected. Said his name and his favorite food, and apparently that was enough.

The academy was going to be the easiest part, the boy thought as his companion started to talk excitedly about the squirrel in the window.

They spent the recess together, exchanging sandwiches- even if Lee's mother became mean over the years, she did the tastiest tomato and cheese recipes. And Lee enjoyed his peanut butter sandwiches.

He was starting to follow his b--  _ classmate _ for the kunai throwing lesson, but the teacher didn't let him go.

... she said something about flowers, and that's what gave away the fact that Hizashi told the school about his gender. Lee waved before following the other boys, and Neji was guided to the garden.

It sucked. So much. Because he had long hair and the girls thought he was a girl too, they were too young to understand well about his gender( _ more like, their mostly civilian parents had not taught them well enough _ ).

That's why he went to make a flower crown alone, in the roots of a tree. They didn't go to bother him there- plus, some wild flowers in the roots were nice enough. If he was forced to do something, at least he would do it well.

"Oh! You had the same thought as me!", one of the girls exclaimed, her voice familiar yet... different. "The dandelions from here are better than when they're in the sun. And the mushrooms are everywhere, I like them."

"I haven't seen a mushroom yet", Neji replied, not looking at the new companion yet. He found a stray daisy and so had to put it well in the crown, all concentration needed or it would break away.

"Silly girl, there's one behind you!", his classmate exclaimed, walking close enough so he would see her- Tenten. He had met both of his teammates in one day, but she had- accidentally...

"I'm not a girl", he protested, frowning at her. "The Hokage is transphobic. That's why I'm here."

"Oh... okay, sorry", the brunette mumbled, looking at him now. She was confused with his words, but said nothing, noticing his anger. "... Is it the same reason I almost don't come here?"

"... What do you mean?"

Tenten simply sat at his side, her feet touching the ground as she searched for more flowers. She made a small pout before replying, looking at the grass.

"I think we're pretty similar", she admitted. "But why would your parents tell the school about... That?"

"He's doing his best."

"Hm... okay", Tenten said, squinting. "Anyways... what's your name? I think we're from different classes."

"I think so, too", Neji exclaimed, closing his eyes for a second. It was the second time he wondered how to act like a child- his cousin had already said he talked 'weirdly but okay', maybe they were going to suspect something soon. "I'm Neji Hyuga. What about you?"

"Call me Tenten", the brunette said, grabbing a daisy and placing it behind her ear, standing up again.

"Do you have a surname?"

"My name is Ten, I choose it myself. My surname is also Ten". The girl smiled softly at Neji, giving him a dandelion she found near her feet. "So I'm Tenten."

... how come he never noticed that. Six years in the same Team and he had just assumed she didn't had surname- like Sai. But apparently that was not the case.

"That's a cool name. I choose mine too", the brunet mumbled, unsure of what to say after that.

"Yours is cool too."

"Thanks."

They promised to meet the next day, at recess, before the flower lessons were over and they returned to his respective houses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments= serotonin :))  
> i just like knowing what u think... what's ur fav part so far. or anything u wantt to put, even a heart makes me smile


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (long note. warnings of panic attack of sorts, again)
> 
> hello there, it's been a while. im going to be honest with you; i lost motivation for this because uh. wasn't expecting THIS level of attention, you know? not even finished and already with more likes and that than some finished fics-  
> i panicked and thought, oh no, what if i disappoint my readers? what if they go away? if i ruin it?  
> i got diagnosed anxiety uh... finishing December? so i was like oh damn, so its not simple paranoia huh.. But well. you know.  
> I really appreciate all the support and comments who asked for updates even if months happened after last one. i was worried you guys wouldn't like this anymore lol.  
> i wrote this and its not betaed, but it's... bonding moment of sorts? between neji and hizashi. i hope you guys like it.

Nights were quiet, and understandably.

Everyone in the Compound, in the village, did no noise mostly because they had fallen asleep. Neji was probably the only one awake at such hour.

He knew exactly why this happened. Everything had been going completely fine these past years, he had befriended his teammates just some months before... yet there was a void inside of his chest.

There was no one to talk with about this. His father supported him, but the man would never understand completely– he was safe and alive, at least. Neji still couldn't believe that, no matter how much time passed by.

But his heart was still sad. He wanted to go with his friends, and tell them everything– the small changes that he was planning, that he saved his dad, that he was their friend... but it wasn't possible.

These kind of thoughts were the ones that kept him up past midnight, who knows for how long past that hour... the moment his body hit his bed, the realization that nobody he loved would ever understand what happened with him and time, and tears would fall through his cheeks.

Neji was silent with them, thanks to his training in his... previous life, if that was the term. It was annoying nonetheless, and his eyes had started to hurt from the effort, so he just– got up, grabbed a book, and sat on the floor to read it.

His exhaustion didn't let him even concentrate on the words, but that was better than focusing on the darkness of his mind. Every letter was like a challenge, yet it was better than whatever was in his thoughts...

It took a while for him to finally manage to feel calm again, to recover his composure without feeling bad anymore. It was hard, but he tried to focus on something that wasn't the past–

When he rested his head on the pillow, he had to bit his lower lip to not break down again– his mind wasn't gentle with him that night, memories hitting him as if they were an enemy.

As if he still was in middle of the war, they were like the screams of the battles he was surrounded by. It wasn't necessarily about that, yet... he remembered the pain of the spikes, the cold breeze of death touching his body.

Neji couldn't force himself to be quiet after that, closing his eyes as if it would make his thoughts go away– but they were worsened by the darkness, and he felt his chest hurting like hell and his neck closing and–

... doubt. About everything, from the reason that he was given another chance, to questioning if he deserved it. It was true that he hadn't been the nicest when he was younger, or- older? Technically both terms were correct, yet... 

The boy sobbed, knowing that his attemtps at muting his noises were going to be pointless at that moment. He curled up in the bed, wrapped by his blankets, trying to direct his thoughts to the present without much success–

Then he heard the door of his room opening, and some footsteps going towards where he tried to rest. A pair of arms carefully wrapped him, and Neji could finally feel something that wasn't despair– even if his mind was still playing tricks on him, he could see his father and hear him whispering with a comforting tone.

He couldn't understand whatever his father was mumbling, he just could feel his heartbeats and the warmth of the embrace. Neji started to cry harder then, his body relaxed yet tense, his eyes closed with more force than necessary but only that way he managed to make less tears escape from them.

Hizashi held the boy close for a while, gently stroking his hair as he mumbled something. His voice was soft and calming, and even if the kid couldn't decipher well what was being said, he knew it was good. 

It took longer than expected for Neji to calm down, yet he didn't want to let go of his father– he was still sobbing a bit, but he didn't want to separate from him as the thoughts would just swarm him once again.

There was no need for words after that, and the boy managed to get some sleep once his dad wrapped him with blankets. Hizashi watched over him just in case for that night, sighing softly once the sun started to appear in the sky, unsure of what to do to help his son apart of being at his side and hugging him when needed.

Maybe, for a moment, that was all he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> almost forgot(first note was too long)  
> someone asked me what transgender and transphobia means so I'll try to reply here  
> transgender: it's when the gender of a person is not the same of the genitals they have.   
> for example: here, neji was assigned female at birth, but he is a boy. tenten was assigned male at birth, but she's a girl.   
> it's completely normal though historians have erased all lgbtq+ people from history, but we've always been here.  
> transphobia: it's hate towards transgender people. including; hate crimes such as murder and assault and stealing, and everything you can think of. verbal abuse, insults, and that.  
> i hope it helps.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments make me update faster.


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